Author archive for Rob Artigo

  • Working hard or Work-a-holic? There’s a costly difference.

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-WorkaHolic01.mp3Is it easy to fall into the work-a-holic trap. Did you know that working 80 hours a week does...

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  • Quiet Quitting: How to reverse it in the age of remote work.

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-QuietQuitting01.mp3Quiet quitting isn’t just a buzzword, it’s happening. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn discussing this costly...

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  • Proof of Concept

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-Experimentation01.mp3It is one of the toughest tasks for the successful entrepreneur. That’s why your proof of concept should get...

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  • The Clock is Ticking: Does your pitch have a clear mission and strategy?

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Rar-Rob-MissionStrategy01.mp3Mission and strategy are not afterthoughts. Just seconds for your first impression. Minutes to sell the idea. Don’t blow...

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  • Ray Zinn: “An excuse is nothing more than a reason wrapped in a bag of poop.”

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-Excuses01.mp3Ray Zinn, the longer serving CEO in Silicon Valley, was well known for fostering a culture of  “do whatever...

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  • The Cryptocurrency Gamble

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-Crypto01.mp3Not too long ago we talked about chasing unicorns in Silicon Valley and the downfall of Elizabeth Holmes. Now...

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  • Is Your Startup Doomed? It doesn’t Have to Be.

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-StartupRealities01.mp3Is your startup doomed, or headed in the right direction? What it comes down to is will people trust...

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  • Micromanagement for Success

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-MicroManage01.mp3Micromanagement. Does it get a bad rap? As head of Micrel Semiconductor for 37 years, Ray Zinn took a...

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  • The Right Company Hires the Right Person

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-HiringAdvice01.mp3In thirty-seven years as CEO of Micrel Semiconductor, Ray Zinn has done his share of hiring at all levels....

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  • Tax Payers to Help U.S. Chip Makers with $52B. Is it Doomed to Repeat History?

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-SemiBillions01.mp3The US Government is set to spend billions on American semiconductor manufacturing. Is it an aggressive, much needed, offensive...

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  • Business Survival in Downturns and Recession

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-DownturnRecession01.mp3There is little debate that the economy has hit the skids. Is your business ready? In this Tough Things...

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  • Why Businesses Fail

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-WhyBusinessesFail-01.mp3Success in the mind comes before anything gets started in business, but how much consideration is given to the...

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  • Surviving Calamity

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-SurvivingCalamity-01.mp3A calamity can be home grown, natural, or an attack like 9/11. Effective business leaders know how to overcome...

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  • Who Moved the Cheese?

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-RobertBarker-Cheese01b.mp3The ability to pivot is not only an option in business, but also a necessity. In this Tough Things...

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  • Inflation Nation. How We Got Here. When it Will End.

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Ray-Rob-Inflation01.mp3From lumber prices to gas prices, all the way down to toilet paper, everything is more expensive. A New...

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